Indonesia bomb 'financier' challenges arrest

A former Al-Qaeda member alleged to have funded deadly suicide bombings in the Indonesian capital in July challenged his arrest in court on Monday.

A former Al-Qaeda member alleged to have funded deadly suicide bombings in the Indonesian capital in July challenged his arrest in court on Monday.

Lawyers for radical publisher Mohammed Jibril Abdurahman, 24, who goes by the online moniker "Prince of Jihad", argued in the South Jakarta district court that his August arrest be overturned.

"Mohammed Jibril Abdurahman's arrest was illegal because no arrest warrant was issued... his family were not given any letter of his arrest," defence lawyer Mohammed Hariadi Nasution said.

"There is insufficient proof to detain Mohammed Jibril Abdurahman... we ask for his release and removal of his detention status," he said.

Police have alleged Mohammed Jibril channelled money from abroad to fund the two July 17 suicide bombings, which killed seven people and two bombers in Jakarta's JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels.

Police have not said where the money has come from, but have been investigating the possibility the attacks were funded by phone or Internet banking from the Middle East. Police have said the money could have come from brokers for Al-Qaeda.

Mohammed Jibril was allegedly a member of an Al-Qaeda linked group in Pakistan.

He could also face charges of conspiracy and aiding terrorism as well as immigration violations and falsifying documents.